Brilliant Minding heads Coolmore 1-2-3-4 in Oaks

Super filly Minding (3f Galileo-Lillie Langtry, by Danehill Dancer) overcame a troubled passage to storm up the Epsom hill and capture the G1 Oaks on Friday. The Aidan O’Brien-trained filly joined an elite band of 1,000 Guineas winners who have gone on to Epsom glory as she led home an amazing 1-2-3-4 for Coolmore sires in the Classic. Filling the runner-up spot was the Zoffany filly Architecture (3f Zoffany-Brigayev, by Fasliyev) with Harlequeen (3f Canford Cliffs-Aurelia, by Rainbow Quest) running a blinder for Canford Cliffs in third. Fourth place went to Somehow (3f Fastnet Rock-Alexandrova, by Sadler´s Wells), like last year’s winner Qualify a daughter of Fastnet Rock. Ryan Moore was in the saddle and paid tribute to the winner. “I just had nowhere to go, but the filly got me out of trouble. She was much the best and is a very good filly,” he said. "I had a charmed run initially, but then they boys all wanted to get moving and came in on top of me. Her class got her out of trouble but she'll be effective over shorter trips, for sure." O’Brien added: "She's an incredible filly. She has speed, class, stamina, a great mind - everything. Ryan did brilliantly to win on her after what she went through. Real heart, courage and guts had to come into it, but she had it in abundance, like all the Galileos. "I'd say we'll probably give her an easy time but I'd imagine the lads will talk about it and see what they want to do.” Joint-owner Michael Tabor feels that Minding, also a dual G1 last season as juvenile, ranks high up among the best fillies of recent years. “She's something else - maybe we should have run her in the Derby!,” said Tabor. "Her turn of foot was incredible. She's as good a filly we've seen for a long time, but I might be biased.”